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The document details how the 115th Congress integrated resilience into various sectors through legislation like the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, the Water Resources Development Act, and the National Defense Authorization Act. It highlights the rising economic costs of inaction, noting that 2017 alone saw $312.7 billion in disaster damages. The text emphasizes the shift toward pre-disaster mitigation, nature-based infrastructure, and the need for the 116th Congress to address energy grid resilience and National Flood Insurance Program reform.

The document provides an overview of energy storage solutions, highlighting the transition from traditional pumped-storage hydropower to advanced battery technologies like lithium-ion. It details the technical trade-offs between different storage methods, the economic trends driving adoption, and the regulatory environment in the U.S. aimed at increasing grid flexibility and resilience.

The document examines various energy storage solutions, including pumped-storage hydropower, batteries, and compressed air, highlighting their capacity to mitigate the intermittency of solar and wind power. It details the dominance of pumped-storage hydropower in the U.S. utility-scale market and the rapid growth of lithium-ion batteries. The text also outlines specific state-level storage targets in the U.S. and global projections for storage capacity needed to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius.

The report details how private equity firms are targeting manufactured home communities in the US as a stable, high-return investment, often leveraging the limited mobility of residents to increase rents and maximize profits. It highlights the role of government-sponsored financing through Fannie Mae and calls for policy interventions to protect vulnerable residents from homelessness and exploitation.

The fact sheet highlights the dominance of private equity-owned firms in providing essential services—such as telecommunications, healthcare, and commissary—to the U.S. carceral system. It specifically notes that the scaling up of immigration detention has increased business for these firms, listing several private equity owners and the specific facilities they serve, including ICE processing centers.

The United States is experiencing a rise in 'billion-dollar' weather disasters, with the average number of such events increasing from 5.3 per year (1980-2012) to 11.6 per year (2013-2017). The author contends that investing in resilience is more cost-effective than rebuilding, noting that federal adaptation investments can provide $4 to $10 in future benefits for every dollar spent. Key recommendations include updating building codes, implementing green infrastructure like wetland restoration, and deploying decentralized energy systems such as microgrids to prevent deadly power failures. The text emphasizes that adaptation must occur simultaneously with greenhouse gas mitigation, as resilience measures often align with sustainability goals and carbon reduction.

The document is a legal complaint alleging racial discrimination in the provision of public health services in Lowndes County, Alabama. It argues that ADPH and LCHD have failed to abate insanitary conditions caused by failing or non-existent sewage systems, which disproportionately affect black residents. The complaint specifically highlights the agencies' dismissal of a 2017 peer-reviewed study that found hookworm in 34.5% of participants, and the historical criminalization of poverty through arrests of black residents for lacking permitted septic systems.

The document highlights the prevalence of private equity (PE) ownership in the US correctional services sector, noting that while public attention often focuses on publicly-traded prison operators, PE-owned firms providing communications, healthcare, and commissary services are more ubiquitous. It specifically links the scaling up of immigrant detention under the Trump administration to increased business for these PE-owned providers.

The document argues that while public debate often focuses on publicly-traded prison operators, private equity-owned firms providing services like telecommunications, healthcare, and commissary are more ubiquitous. It lists several PE-owned companies—including Securus, Global Tel Link, and Corizon Health—and notes that the Trump administration's expansion of immigrant detention has increased business for these providers.

Climate Central analyzed temperature data from 244 U.S. cities to determine the increase in days falling within the 61-93°F range suitable for disease transmission by Aedes and Culex mosquitoes. The analysis found that 94% of these cities are experiencing an increase in these 'disease danger days' since 1970, with significant increases noted in California, the Southwest, and some northern cities. While most areas face higher risks, some locations like Phoenix may become too hot for mosquito survival. The report also highlights that warmer temperatures shorten the Extrinsic Incubation Period (EIP) of viruses, potentially increasing the number of infectious mosquitoes and expanding the range of species like Aedes albopictus.

The report analyzes how electoral rules—including registration eligibility, voting processes, and districting—impact voter turnout, particularly in environmental justice communities. It finds that socioeconomic distress and poor air quality are significant depressors of turnout, and that states with biased districting plans tend to have higher levels of air toxin exposure. The authors argue that restrictive election laws insulate powerful interests and weaken environmental protections, citing the Flint water crisis as an example of legislative dysfunction resulting from gerrymandering. The document recommends reforms such as automatic voter registration, nonpartisan redistricting, and proportional representation to improve government responsiveness and public health outcomes.

The report identifies USD264bn in outstanding bonds from 1,436 climate-aligned US municipal 'pure-play' issuers, suggesting a significant opportunity to scale the green bond market through refinancing. While issuance grew to USD12bn in 2017, it declined in H1 2018 due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts of 2017, which reduced refunding bond volume. The water sector represents the largest potential, accounting for 64% (USD170bn) of the identified climate-aligned universe, followed by transport at 30% (USD78.5bn). The report highlights that waste, energy, and land use sectors are currently underrepresented in the green bond market despite having substantial climate-aligned activity.

The report analyzes the failure and survival of solar PV systems during Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the Caribbean to establish design and specification standards for high-wind environments. It identifies root causes of failure—such as undersized racking, inadequate bolting, and the use of T-clamps—and recommends high-load modules, through-bolting, and dual-post foundations. The authors advise against using trackers in Category 4 or higher wind zones and emphasize the need for site-specific structural engineering and collaboration between stakeholders and suppliers to develop Category 5-resistant hardware.

The document examines how a warming atmosphere increases the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation, contributing to higher inland flood risks in parts of the United States, particularly the Midwest and Northeast. It highlights that while climate change is a driver, land-use changes—such as development in floodplains and the removal of wetlands—significantly exacerbate flood risk. The report argues that current FEMA flood maps are inadequate because they rely on historical data rather than future projections. To mitigate these risks, the authors recommend reforming the National Flood Insurance Program, increasing funding for river gauge networks and flood mapping, and implementing nature-based infrastructure and stricter zoning regulations to discourage floodplain development.

The document is a formal request for a meeting with Blackstone executives to address the company's mortgage foreclosure practices in Puerto Rico, Florida, and East Texas, particularly following devastating hurricanes.

The briefing challenges three myths regarding the role of renewables and distributed energy resources (DERs) in Puerto Rico's grid recovery. It asserts that renewables and energy storage are now cost-competitive with fossil fuels, with energy storage costs dropping 70 percent between 2010 and 2016. The text highlights that renewable infrastructure proved more durable than transmission networks during the 2017 hurricanes, noting that 90 percent of utility-scale solar and wind capacity remained operational or ready. Furthermore, it argues that these technologies can be deployed quickly, citing examples of large-scale storage projects completed in months, and recommends a coordinated effort by the Puerto Rico government and utility to prioritize these projects for a more resilient energy future.

The document argues that emerging energy technologies—including solar PV, wind, battery storage, and microgrids—are now cost-competitive and more resilient than traditional fossil-fuel-based systems. It highlights that while the 2017 hurricanes caused the longest sustained outage in U.S. history, the resulting damage provides an opportunity to rebuild the grid using distributed resources that can be deployed quickly and reduce reliance on expensive imported fuels.

The report argues that California's public infrastructure is deteriorating and based on outdated historical climate data, making it vulnerable to a 'new normal' of extreme heat, sea level rise, wildfires, and erratic precipitation. It proposes a 'climate-smart' framework based on rigorous science, equitable outcomes, financial transparency, and holistic planning. Key barriers identified include outdated design codes, a lack of actionable climate data for engineers, and systemic underinvestment in underserved communities. The author recommends updating state standards, establishing a centralized coordinating center for climate information, and adopting innovative financing mechanisms like resilience bonds to protect critical services and vulnerable populations.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project and associated community organizations are requesting a meeting with TPG Capital to address the aggressive foreclosure activities of Rushmore Loan Management Services. The letter highlights Rushmore's role as a major owner of repossessed residential properties in Puerto Rico and its high foreclosure rates on mortgages acquired from Freddie Mac and HUD in Florida and Texas. In response to the impacts of Hurricanes Irma, Maria, and Harvey, the authors demand an immediate halt to all foreclosure proceedings in these affected zones.

The document highlights how Hurricanes Irma and Harvey triggered toxic spills and explosions at industrial sites and Superfund locations in Texas and Florida. It specifically cites the Arkema chemical plant explosion and benzene contamination in Houston's Manchester neighborhood. The text argues that these disasters are exacerbated by the Trump administration's delays of the Financial Assurance Rule and the Chemical Disaster Rule, as well as insufficient federal regulation of coal ash ponds. It emphasizes that low-income communities and communities of color bear a disproportionate burden of these environmental hazards.